Toyota Prius Hybrid Now Available!!

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Yes, This is a no joke. Toyota Kirloskar is seriously planning to bring some cool hybrids like Prius in India soon, Read below (Source Business Standard)

The world’s largest car maker, Toyota, today said it was considering the introduction of hybrid vehicles in India, besides working on other alternative fuel models for the global market.

“We are looking at introducing hybrid vehicles in India and currently we are studying the market,” Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) Assistant Manager (Global Strategic Planning Group) Katsuhiko Koganei told a group of visiting Indian journalists here.

The new vehicle would be a passenger car, he added. Koganei, however, declined to give any time frame or the likely-hybrid model which would be introduced in India.

Sources close to the development said the company could launch its successful hybrid car ‘Prius’ in India, depending upon its ongoing feasibility study. On the initiative taken by the company on alternative fuel technology, TMC Project General Manager (Research and D Management Division) Yutaka Matsumoto said: “We are working on bio-fuel, natural gas and hydrogen-based vehicles. Toyota develops and offer products based on the right vehicle for the right place at the right time concept.”

Toyota has confirmed the launch of the new Prius Hybrid for the Indian market. The car would go on sale immediately after the official unveiling at the upcoming 2010 Auto Expo in New Delhi.

The preferred choice of Hollywood A-listers, the Prius will be imported as a CBU (Completely Built Unit) from Japan and is likely to cost a whopping 30 Lakh rupees owing to the steep import duty of 105% being levied by the government on CBU’s. Toyota is hoping for the government to give special concession to eco friendly vehicles so that they can be priced cheaper.

With the pricing in mind, Toyota isnt targetting large volumes and instead will use the Prius as a showcase for its advanced hybrid technology.

What remains to be seen is if it receives the same reponse from our Bollywood A-listers in which case they dont need a brand endorser!

Toyota Motor’s plan to launch its hybrid car, the Prius, in India in January 2010 is on track. The car is powered by a petrol engine as well as batteries. Mr Mitsuhiro Umeyama, Gerneral Manager at Toyota’s global R&D division, said that approximately 5 per cent of the total vehicles sold by the company are hybrids, and that it was aiming for the same in India.

Toyota has not been deterred by the poor performance of the Honda Civic Hybrid in the country. The Civic Hybrid’s high price prevented it from doing well, ultimately forcing Honda to discontinue the car. This was mainly due to the high import duty on it.

Mr Umeyama said that Toyota was not depending entirely on any one alternative fuel technology, and that it was developing electric cars, hybrids and fuel cells at the same time. While electric cars are suitable for city transport, hybrid cars can be used for long-distance traveling.